The Ultimate Titanic
Reference Book, With All The Benefits Of Hindsight !

No individual historian can possibly be an expert
on every aspect of his chosen topic, and - as a result - historical errors have a way of
creeping into written histories covering most historical subjects. This has been especially
true in the case of the Titanic disaster - a subject that has seen a century's worth of
historical errors, misconceptions and outright deceptions gradually become an accepted part of
the historical record. Indeed, such errors first began making their appearance during the
official Titanic inquiries in 1912, when the vast body of testimony - and a lack of sufficient
time to digest or analyze that testimony - resulted in a number of erroneous conclusions being
made.

The present book is a
radical departure from that early tradition, since it has been written by a coalition of
experts who have spent many years digesting the original inquiry testimony as well as
evaluating a bounty of additional evidence that has come to light in the hundred years since
1912. Each of the book's co-authors is a recognized specialist in their chosen area of study,
and each chapter has been exhaustively researched, analyzed and referenced utilizing the very
best evidence that is currently available. The book describes and quantifies the sinking of Titanic
as it actually happened, and it authoritatively disproves a number of long-standing myths
about the disaster that have taken root over the past ten decades; surprisingly, though, the
book also demonstrates that a number of so-called "legends" about the disaster are actually
based in solid historical fact.

Each of the books
co-authors is a recognized specialist in his or her chosen area of study, and each chapter has
been exhaustively researched, analyzed and referenced utilizing the very best evidence that is
currently available. Following the basic layout of the 1912 Wreck Commission report, this
modern-day report provides fascinating insights into the ship itself, -

the American and British inquiries, the
passengers and crew, the fateful journey and ice
warnings received, the damage and sinking, protocol and process of rescue, the
circumstances in connection with the SS Californian and SS Mount Temple, and the aftermath
and ramifications that followed the disaster.

Samuel Halpern has
written numerous articles on Titanic and has given a number of presentations. A member of
the Titanic Historical Society and Titanic International Society, he has organized some
passionate authors from all over the world to write this book, including: Capt. Charles
Weeks, Professor Emeritus in Marine Transportation at the Maine Maritime Academy; George
Behe, past vice-president of the Titanic Historical Society; The
Olympic-Class Ships author Mark Chirnside; Titanic the Ship Magnificent authors Bruce Beveridge and
Steve Hall; Titanic: Monument and Warning author Dave Gittins; and other writers
each with specialist Titanic fields of interest, Bill Wormstedt, Tad Fitch,
Lester J Mitcham, and Cathy Ackers-Jordan; Foreword by J. Kent Layton, Titanic author and
maritime historian. They live in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand.